Ancient naves suspended in nothingness, gashes in the walls that open onto the surrounding vineyards and glassless rosettes that let in the sky. The Abbey of Sant’Eustachio is one of the most fascinating architectural pearls of the Province of Treviso, and its story is a Cinderella-like one, where the ruins left for years at the mercy of the weather are today a romantic terrace overlooking the hills.
The history of the Abbey of Sant’Eustachio
According to the papal bull of Pope Alexander II, the Benedictine complex was founded by Rambaldo III of Collalto and his mother Gisla around the year 1000, on an existing fortified edifice. In the beginning a cultural hub and later a farm, it was saved from Napoleon’s fury at the beginning of the 19th century but could not resist the aftermath of the Caporetto. The building was in fact located near the Piave front and during the Battle of the Solstice it was completely destroyed and its ruins remained abandoned to the carelessness of the time.
Monsignor Della Casa and the Galateo
The Abbey experienced its golden age in the mid-sixteenth century, becoming one of the most significant cultural centers in Italy. Here resided many illustrious people, such as Giovanni Della Casa, who wrote the famous Galateo right within these austere walls. It is said that the author found his inspiration among the trees of the ancient secular forest that surrounds the structure.
The restoration
Today the Abbey of Sant’Eustachio is shining brightly again thanks to a conservative restoration promoted by the Giusti family that has allowed to recover part of the walls, the original pavements and also to restore the nearby Eremo di San Girolamo. Within the structure, one can find panoramic terraces from which you can enjoy a 360-degree view of the hills, savouring a good glass of Prosecco, pleasantly immersed into the charming atmosphere of the old walls.
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